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blackmind · October 4, 2005, 10:42 AM

You know what got me to get myself a cellular phone?

I was driving home from work one night, waiting at a RR crossing while the long train went by. A van was in front of me, cars on each side. In my rear-view mirror I saw a car coming up behind me -- slowing, but not stopping. I got bumped. Not hard enough to push me into the van in front, though.

So when the other vehicles crossed the tracks, I did as well, and signaled the idiot behind me to do the same.

When we stopped again, this time MY car was behind HERS. Two young women got out, OBVIOUSLY slightly inebriated.

There was no damage to the cars, but I was checking the hell out of my little crapbox Hyundai. I didn't want to involve police and insurance companies if I could avoid it, and so I was ready to tell the women to just get out of there if there was no damage.

The driver started getting agitated, saying, "Oh, come on, there's nothing wrong, what, you want to call the cops, go ahead, here's my cell phone, call the cops, blah blah blah." (Apparently a sloppy attempt to use reverse psychology.)

I got assertive (more so) and told her, "LOOK, I'm gonna check to see that my car is undamaged before I tell you to blow, but not before then. And IF there's no damage, then all will be fine. So just CHILL for a minute, and chances are there'll be nothing to have to bother with." <words to that effect>

But it made me realize that after the fact, these women could have called a cop to claim that I had hit them!. After all, the cars were now rearranged in that order.

Beyond that, I've found that cellular phones are almost infinitely convenient. Get lost on the way to somewhere, call them. Won't make it in time, call them. Need the movie times? Call them. Call-ahead seating? Call them. Getting picked up at the airport, and your plane just landed, and they can't wait at the curb for long periods? Call them. See a crime in progress? Call the police.

Apart from the discourtesy of using phones loudly in places where people never used to be able to use a phone, I can't think of a reason not to have one. I can directly control how courteous I am when I have a phone; the simple fact of having it does not mean I have to be a discourteous boor with it.

-blackmind

October 4, 2005, 10:42 AM	#34
blackmind Junior member Join Date: July 21, 2005 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Posts: 1,224	You know what got me to get myself a cellular phone? I was driving home from work one night, waiting at a RR crossing while the long train went by. A van was in front of me, cars on each side. In my rear-view mirror I saw a car coming up behind me -- slowing, but not stopping. I got bumped. Not hard enough to push me into the van in front, though. So when the other vehicles crossed the tracks, I did as well, and signaled the idiot behind me to do the same. When we stopped again, this time MY car was behind HERS. Two young women got out, OBVIOUSLY slightly inebriated. There was no damage to the cars, but I was checking the hell out of my little crapbox Hyundai. I didn't want to involve police and insurance companies if I could avoid it, and so I was ready to tell the women to just get out of there if there was no damage. The driver started getting agitated, saying, "Oh, come on, there's nothing wrong, what, you want to call the cops, go ahead, here's my cell phone, call the cops, blah blah blah." (Apparently a sloppy attempt to use reverse psychology.) I got assertive (more so) and told her, "LOOK, I'm gonna check to see that my car is undamaged before I tell you to blow, but not before then. And IF there's no damage, then all will be fine. So just CHILL for a minute, and chances are there'll be nothing to have to bother with." <words to that effect> But it made me realize that after the fact, these women could have called a cop to claim that I had hit them!. After all, the cars were now rearranged in that order. Beyond that, I've found that cellular phones are almost infinitely convenient. Get lost on the way to somewhere, call them. Won't make it in time, call them. Need the movie times? Call them. Call-ahead seating? Call them. Getting picked up at the airport, and your plane just landed, and they can't wait at the curb for long periods? Call them. See a crime in progress? Call the police. Apart from the discourtesy of using phones loudly in places where people never used to be able to use a phone, I can't think of a reason not to have one. I can directly control how courteous I am when I have a phone; the simple fact of having it does not mean I have to be a discourteous boor with it. -blackmind